The Ger's Contract Marriage [BL]
Chapter 282: To Behave? Or Not?

Chapter 282: To Behave? Or Not?

With the departure of the hunting party, the forest around Xu Feng and Xu Hu Zhe seemed to come alive once more. The tranquility of nature was broken by the absence of the four men, leaving behind an eerie sense of solitude.

It was as if the animals, sensing the absence of the obvious threats, had resumed their natural activities. Small creatures like rabbits and squirrels darted among the underbrush, their movements graceful and swift.

The small animals stayed mostly out of sight, but the sense of fear from earlier had dissipated.

In the distance, their raised clearing offered a glimpse of the hill they had navigated earlier. The path they had climbed and descended now seemed like a distant memory, replaced by the serene beauty of the forest.

At the very least, Xu Feng wanted to block out the memories from the early morning trek.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves of the huge towering trees, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor, creating a mosaic of light and shade.

But despite the picturesque surroundings, Xu Feng’s mind was far from at ease. He had expected his condition to improve after a night’s rest, but thoughts of his "cheap" younger brother, Xu Zeng, continued to weigh on his mind.

They hadn’t met in their third world the night before, and the worry for his newfound sibling gnawed at him. Was Xu Zeng eating well? Getting enough sleep? These concerns and other random thoughts like ’Is he washing his underpants? Does he have enough underpants?’ plagued his thoughts.

These were thoughts no one seemed overly concerned with in novels, dramas, and movies. But they wouldn’t leave Xu Feng alone. They were living rent free in his mind, and that was expensive real estate.

"Hah," A heavy sigh escaped Xu Feng’s lips as he rubbed his sore temple and abs. The rigorous climb had taken a toll on his body, and he couldn’t help but wonder if his recent bouts of retching had strained his muscles.

He moved sluggishly, lost in his thoughts, oblivious to the world around him.

Meanwhile, Xu Hu Zhe observed the silver haired ger’s behavior with curiosity. Xu Feng’s usual enthusiasm for treasure hunting and mischief making seemed strangely absent, and even the ginseng they had stumbled upon failed to produce his usual reserved excitement.

In the past few days, Xu Feng had been a whirlwind of strange emotions—sleeping, crying, and displaying peculiar behavior.

While Xu Feng had always been a bit eccentric, his recent behavior was unusual even for him. It left Xu Hu Zhe feeling like a sidekick to a troublemaker who had taken an unexpected turn.

Had he taken an oath to go the straight and narrow?

"Are we going hunting?" Xu Hu Zhe ventured to ask, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Xuan Jian had left with the promise of leading the hunting party back with a significant catch, leaving Xu Feng seemingly idle and "safe."

In their time together, Xu Hu Zhe had become accustomed to his "partner’s" taste for mischief and expected something more eventful than this idleness.

As a partner in crime to the chief troublemaker, Xu Hu Zhe knew that opportunities for mischief were not to be missed, and he couldn’t help but wonder why they were still at the makeshift camp, seemingly lacking any nefarious plans.

The makeshift camp on the raised ground had been set up quickly, and Xu Hu Zhe suspected that they would be having their meal in this area.

He had noticed Xuan Jian applying some kind of liquid or stain to the trees when they first arrived—a curious act that resembled the territorial marking of wild dogs. Yet, he thought little of it at the time, focusing instead on his role as Xu Feng’s partner in crime.

"Hunting?" Xu Feng echoed, still a bit dazed as his mind whirled with thoughts and worries that had plagued him recently.

He glanced at the teen beside him, who remained stoic despite the playful teasing. Xu Feng couldn’t help but smile, even if it was just a faint one. In this world, age was but a number, and Xu Feng had become quite skilled at counting them.

"What would we be hunting here?" Xu Feng continued with a playful glint in his eyes. "Rabbits?" He gestured to their surroundings, emphasizing the barrenness of the raised ground where they had been abandoned.

It was clear why Xuan Jian and Xuan Yang had chosen this location for them. Safety was their priority, and they wouldn’t have left Xu Feng somewhere that posed any risk.

Xu Hu Zhe’s face flushed slightly in response to the teasing. He had grown somewhat accustomed to the tall beauty’s playful banter, but it still had the power to make him blush.

Small animals like lizards, birds, and rodents were likely the best game they could hope to find here and luckily that’s all Hu Zhe was confident enough to hunt.

Memories of his days on the streets of Yilin flooded his mind. Back then, catching these small creatures had been a matter of survival for him.

Even when he was taken in by the Xuans, he needed to hunt these small animals for him, Si, and San for them to have enough fat to survive the harsh winters. No one else would care about unwanted children like them.

He would rise early and remain outside after completing the day’s work and the estate’s servants had retired for the night, ensuring they had enough to eat. Those days were long behind him now, as Xu Feng had taken over the responsibility of providing for them.

Xu Feng had become their guardian, and they were determined to serve him well. If catching rabbits and birds was what his master desired, then Xu Hu Zhe was prepared to hunt them.

Still, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of shame at the thought of presenting such small game to his master without being asked.

He pondered whether it might be worthwhile to learn from one of the hunters in the Nanshan village below their estate. Though few villagers still ventured into the mountains for hunting, the estate had built friendlier relations with them under Xu Feng’s leadership.

Joining a hunting party with the villagers wouldn’t be difficult, and he could gain valuable skills.